Talkn2u

Hello! This is me, Jess. Anyway, let me tell you about what I think of what I feel about street children.

Kahit nasaan ka ata eh marami kang makikitang namamalimos.  Let me share some of my experiences.

You know that moment in the jeepney when your mind is floating into space, tapos may biglang pupunas sa paa mo (or sapatos, if you’re wearing one), only to see a poor lil’ kid handing out his empty hands and waiting for something in return.  Have you ever had that experience? Binigyan mo ba o you just ignored it?

There are those moments when I’m walking tapos may biglang mamamalimos. ‘Pag hindi ko binigyan, susungitan ako; ‘pag binigyan ko naman, parang magiging magnet ako at lalapitan lahat ng bata sa akin. Sounds familiar, right?

And guess what, this is one of my unforgettable experiences with ‘em – ung tipong may hawak kang extra large na Slurpee tapos may magmamakaawa sayo. I gave the kid on what’s left sa iniinom ko. That’s like a third of the cup. Pinag-agawan nila tapos tumingin sila sa akin and they told me, “Ano ba yan! Wala namang laman!” And then I was like, “Seriously?” This was the time na nadala ako sa pagbibigay sa kanila.

You may be thinking how ‘NOT generous I am’, I thought of that too!

After all these things that I’ve experienced with them, after all the processing that I made with my brain, I came with the realization na hindi naman nila ginusto na maging mahirap o piniling maging mahirap at mamalimos. So, I understand them and pinipili ko lang ung mga binibigyan ko.

Sabi nga ng matatanda, “Kapag pinanganak kang mahirap, hindi mo kasalanan un. Pero kapag namatay kang mahirap, kasalanan mo na un.” But ‘NO MAN IS AN ISLAND!’   How can one be successful without the help of those who have the power, right?

I wish, someday, these kids will dream of the horizon of their future more clearly dahil may tumutulong sa kanilang umangat. 

BE A HELPING HAND. 

HOPE

“The sun may set a thousand times but there’s a sparkle of faith within us that the sun will rise again tomorrow.”—Jesselyn

Find your inner self and you will find a part of you full of hope and dreams.

It’s the same thing with the street children, they are hoping…

…that tomorrow they will have something to eat;

…that tomorrow those who does not have parents will find one every day in the ‘being’ of the generous people around them;

…that someday they will have a better life;

…and that somewhere, somehow, someone is thinking of them.

TRUST

“Loving someone is like crossing a hanging bridge. You will never know if you’re gonna get to the other side together. But still you tried because the one holding your hands is the one that you know you can trust.” –Jesselyn

Every road that they cross has been decided. Street children run around the streets and it seems like the whole world is their playground. Why? Maybe because they trust the ones driving cars, maybe because they trust the Holy One that He won’t let them get hurt, and maybe, just maybe because their instinct is telling them that experiences are the best teachers.

PiXiE DUST?

“Pixie dust is what makes Peter Pan and the Lost Boys fly. But life is not a fairytale… the most powerful thing that you can do that no one could ever take away is the power of PRAYER.” – Jesselyn

At night we close our eyes and dream. We dream of being on top of the world – having every luxurious car, mansion and everything that the world can give.

But have you ever thought of what a child, a street child, would dream of?

Well, I think they would dream of having a family to come home to, a shelter to keep them warm at night, a meal that would fill their aching stomachs and most of all the gift of having joy and peace in their hearts.

IF YOU WERE A STREET CHILD, WHAT WOULD YOU ASK FOR?

 “… And then I realized how many stupid times a day I use the word ‘I.’ And probably all I ever do is think about myself. And how lame is that when there’s like seven billion other people out there on the planet…”

This line is from the movie “Princess Diaries”.

When I first heard it, I turned into reflection mode. I told myself, ‘Oo nga ‘no? There are like 7 billion other people out there, what can I do to help them or even inspire them?

There are other people who doesn’t have any shelter to go home to and yet we complain and tell ourselves ‘gusto ko nang maglayas sa pamamahay na ‘to!’

There are other people who doesn’t have anything to eat and yet we complain about the cold soup and cold rice.

There are children who doesn’t have any slippers and yet we want those killer heels and branded rubber shoes.

There are other people who doesn’t have anything to wear and yet we can’t even bear to wear the same shirt twice.

Look outside. Look at the people living on the streets – especially the young ones. Is this not enough for us to make something ‘generous’ out of ourselves?

STOP – And think about the people that you can reach out to.

LOOK – And I hope you see that many people are reaching out their hands to you.

LISTEN – And I wish that you can hear the tears fall down their faces.

Be a blessing.

Isang mundong pinag-isipan.

Ni AJ Celestial

Hi again! AJ here… Share ko lang tong “di-kagandahan” kong outputs sa PR writing. Kung di mo nahalata, those are posters. Advocacy posters yan and well, I’ve chosen RH as my advocacy. Yes, I am pro-RH at di ko lang basta naisip na i-advocate ito. Pinag-aralan ko ito at tinimbang. Going back to the posters, the perfect element in most advocacies daw ay bata. Pag bata kasi madaling kaawaan, cute. Pero di sila basta dapat kinaaawaan. Dapat sa kanila tinutulungan. Kaya as you can see, bidang bida ang mga bata sa mga poster na ito. Nakatingin sa iyo na para bang may gustong sabihin. Pero nakangiti sila. Masaya kahit halatang salat sa buhay. Di pa siguro nila gaanong nauunawaan ang kalagayan nila. Madalas, tawag ng sikmura lang ang napapansin nila at nagpapalungkot sa kanila. Pero paano yung mga ibang katotohanang lingid pa sa kamuangan nila?

Dapat nilang malaman na malabo ang kinabukasan kung mananatili sila sa kalye, kung hindi sila makakapag-aral, kung magulo ang paligid nila at kung exposed sila sa mga iligal na gawain. Sa tingin ko kasi kung ako ang nasa kalagayan nila at malaman kong ganun ang sitwasyon, mahirap talagang mamotivate eh. Iisipin ko na lang “wala na rin naman palang patutunguhan ang buhay ko eh, bakit ko pa susubukang ayusin?” Sa experience ko kasi yung mga lumaki na sa kalye, sila yung mga taong nakuntento na sa kinalugmukan nila. Pinanghawakan nila yung kawalang pag-asa kasi nga walang nagmomotivate. Wala na lang silang ginagawa para iahon ang mga sarili sa kahirapan. E tayo ano’ng magagawa naten?

Balik ulet sa poster, sabi jan “if one just considers the possible solutions to unwanted conceptions, we’ll be eradicating most poverty-related issues and no child would have to suffer from hunger, physical and mental abuse, illiteracy and child labor among others.” Oo, pero not totally, sinisisi ko silang mga lumaki na sa lansangan. Alam naman nila ang hirap ng buhay, pinagdaanan nila ang maging batang kalye, ang mamalimos, ang magutom pero heto sila, mababa na ang tatlong anak, yung iba may sampu o bente pa ata. Kung sana kaya nilang palakihin ang mga ito ng maayos, pakainin ng tatlong beses sa isang araw at papag-aralin sa eskwela, OK lang. Pero yung wala na nga silang makain, tapos gagawa pa sila ng bagong papakainin, eh mali naman ata yun. Kaya nga sabi din jan sa poster ko “RH is HR.” Karapatan ng mga tao ang magkaroon ng kaalaman sa reproductive health at bahagi nun ang magkaroon ng access sa mga teknolohiya o mga pamamaraang makakatulong sa kanila upang mapangalagaan ang kanilang sarili at maiplanong maigi ang kani-kaniyang kinabukasan – and yes I’m talking about controlled birth, planned family. Karapatan ng bawat ipinapanganak na bata na mabuhay ng matiwasay at karapatan (at responsibilidad) din ng kanilang mga magulang ang paghandaan ang kanilang pagdating sa mundo. Kung di kaya WAG. Para mas maging maayos RH ang kailangan.

Wala naman masamang magplano at mag-siguro. Mabuti ito lalo na kung buhay ang pinag-uusapan. Kung ganun pala, may solusyon sa kahirapan. Maaaring balang araw ay wala nang batang sasalubong sa iyo sa pagsakay mo sa dyip. Wala nang mga pamilyang sa kariton natutulog. Wala nang namamatay dahil sa gutom. Maaaring balang araw, lahat ay masigla. Lahat ay may bahay na nasisilungan at inuuwian araw-araw. Lahat ay nabubuhay ng walang pangamba. Di naman utopian na mundo ang nasa isip ko. Kundi isang mundong pinag-isipan, pinagplanuhan, “inaalagaan.” Isang mundo kung saan may pakialam ang bawat tao sa isa’t isa. RH pa lang ang isinusulong ko dito pero kung papansinin mo dugtung-dugtong ang mga isyu. Kabit-kabit ang mga problema. Kaya naman kung sisimulan na nateng ayusin ito ng isa-isa, edi sunud-sunod na rin yang maaayos. Pag-asa lang. Tiwala sa KANYA. Sabi ko nga sa last post ko, “God’s plans are always perfect.” Hanggang dito na lang ulit! Magandang araw!

AJ on the Street # 1

Sabi nila, everything happens for a reason. God has made a perfect plan. He knows exactly how things should be and where things and people should be placed in this “wonderful” world. Pero bakit ganun? Bakit may mahihirap? Bakit may mga masasamang tao? Bakit may ibang maagang kinukuha ni Lord kahit anong bait o galing nila? Bakit may mga bata sa kalye? Minsan sa buhay ko, naitanong ko. Ginusto kaya ni Lord yun? OK lang ba sa kanya na may mga gutom habang may mga iba na nagtatapon lang ng pagkain? Na may mga matatalinong bata pero di nakakapag-aral? Na may mga pamilyang malaki pero walang pera, at pamilyang maliit pero sobrang yaman? Yun ba yung perfect plan? Yun ba yung wonderful world?

LIFE. Sa tagalog, BUHAY. Yan ung mga panahon na nakakahinga pa tayo, nakakapag-isip at naigagalaw pa natin ang ating mga  katawan. Sa buhay, some people would believe and hold on to the principle of “destiny.” The Americans would claim na “life is what / how you make it.” Ang pinoy naman “bahala na si Batman.” Yung iba, “just live life to the fullest.” At ika nga ng Globe telecom, “Go lang ng Go!” Later on, napagtanto ko na: “Buti na lang nandyan si God.” Or at least, buti na lang I have an idea of a God and His purpose. With him kasi, I am able to think as rationally as possible. Naisip ko, I should trust in Him and think that whatever’s happening now, happens for a reason. For some, (or, OK I admit, for me) pampalubag loob kumbaga, Pinoy eh, puno ng pag-asa na sa kabila ng hirap ng buhay ay may Diyos naman na hindi ako iiwan o pababayaan. I made myself believe na totoong God’s plan is perfect. Mangyayari ang dapat mangyari at sa bandang huli, magiging masaya rin ako. Wala namang mawawala kung maniniwala, di ba?

From there, and going back to my claim na “with God I become rational,” I realized maybe God’s plan do not look as perfect sa standard ng ordinaryong tao tulad ko pero looking and carefully analyzing how it works, you’ll see the brilliance of God. Heard success stories of people who once roamed the streets na ngayon mga multi millionaire na? PMA Barons na anak ng labandera o pedikab drayber o dating nagtitinda lang ng sampagita sa kalsada. Maybe these kids were there now but who knows what tomorrow have for them? And for us, hindi kaya isa sa mga batang yan ang magliligtas ng buhay naten baling araw. Say muntik tayong masagasaan. O kaya madukutan tapos tutulungan nila tayo maretrieve yung nadukot (wag naman sana sila yung nandukot). Or maybe, tayo ang nakalaang tutulong sa kanila. Konektado lahat ang mga buhay natin. Aminin man natin o hindi. I end here and I hope I made sense with this entry. Medyo magulo rin kasi ang isip ko ngayon. Hmm… Comment below. J

Hi friends! Kami nga pala sina AJ at Jesse. Pawang mga communication majors mula sa magkaibang paaralan. Hindi kami gaanong malapit na mag-kaibigan. Ang totoo niyan ay marami kaming di pinagkakasunduan pagdating sa ilang mga bagay-bagay. Paano ba naman, apat na araw lang kaming nagkasama. At mula sa petsa na isinusulat namin ang entry na ito ay may isang linggo pa lang kaming magkakikila. Gayunpaman, heto kami at may nais kaming gustong gawin at simulan. At gusto sana namin, makasama naming kayo sa aming “paglalakbay.”

Simple lang: pag-usapan natin ang mga bata sa kalsada. Siguro naman di mahirap na topic ito lalo na mga gaya naming taga-lungsod. Sa araw-araw ata na ginawa ng Diyos ay laging may isa o ilang mga batang mangungulit sa atin at manghihingi ng limos. Well, at this point, we are assuming na we all have had experiences with street children (biglang nag-english? LOL). At one point of our lives, nakakita na tayo ng batang marungis at pagala-gala sa kalye, nakapagbigay tayo ng konting barya sa batang nakikisabit sa dyip at nagpupunas ng sapatos, nakakausap tayo ng batang cute at mukhang bibo at mabait kaso nasa kalsada at naglalako. At sa dami rin siguro ng mga batang ito, imposibleng hindi natin sila mapapansin. Sa dami nila, imposibleng maubos ang kwento. Pero gumawa tayo ng isang bagay na posible! TUMULONG.

Hindi naman namin hinihiling na magbigay kayo ng anumang donasyon, in cash man o in kind, sa mga batang ito. Kami nga mismo walang maibigay eh. Pero helping comes in many and different ways. At isa na itong ginagawa namin para matulungan sila. Sabi nga diba “it’s the thought that counts.” Ito pa lang na pinag-uusapan natin sila, eh maituturing nang pagtulong. Again, hindi namin kayo ino-obligang magbigay ng anumang bagay, pero ang gusto sana naming mangyari ay at the end of each post, sa bawat pagtatapos ng mga araw natin, may question tayo sa mga sarili natin: “What have I done, what am I doing, what am I going to do?”

Dito natin simulan ang ating kwentuhan. Bagtasin natin ang kalsada. Dalhin natin ang ating mga sarili sa kung saan naroon ang mga batang-lansangan. Damhin natin ang kanilang pagkagutom, pangungulila, paghihirap. . . Alamin natin ang kanilang mga simpleng kaligayahan, mga kahilingan at pangarap. Tayo na sa lansangan.

Us on the streets, DAY ONE.

So in this blog, we’ll be talking about STREETCHILDREN – whatever about them. Our message: Street children are everywhere. We all have experiences with them and some of us might have even been one of them some time ago. But what do we really know about them, their real situation, the conditions their exposed to? Let’s talk about them and see what we can do.

Who do we want to reach? Anybody, everybody. But basically, we’ll be talking to YOU – our fellow, Filipino youth – guys our age, who, more or less, have the same thinking or perspective on the issues we’ll be talking about.

What new angle do we wish to present? Nothing really new. However, we’ll show you other factors that put these children in the streets; not just mere poverty (but poverty is the biggest issue) but the more complicated population and development issues.

What do we want to achieve? First, we want people to realize the sad realities about the street kids. We want our readers to acknowledge that their little acts make impact. At the end of the day, we won’t really dictate on people to do this or that but we’ll at least move them to do something and that is to HELP. Helping does not always necessarily have to mean giving or adopting these children. If we’ll look at the anti-mendicancy law, we’ll see that “not giving” can be helping. If we bring these kids to the DSWD or some child ward, that’s still help. Simply talking about them in this forum and expressing sympathy for them is already one step to helping.

What will be our tools? We’ll be publishing our articles, pictures and videos via twitter (@batangstreet), facebook fanpage (‘Pag batangkalye pulubi agad, ‘di ba pwedeng mag-isip ka muna?), wordpress (Talkn2u presents: Us and the Streets) and youtube (Batangstreetontube).

I’m Jesse from the Trinity University of Asia College of Arts and Sciences. Read, watch or listen to what I have to say every Monday or Thursday.

I’m AJ from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila College of Mass Communication. Read, watch or listen to me every Tuesday or Friday.

Participate in our Poll question of the week every Wednesday. The result of this poll will be interpreted every Saturday and/or Sunday.

See our conversation / argument / debate about a selected topic every Sunday night!

Once again, we’re talkn2u and we present: Us and the Streets.